The freeze took my annuals this week. All the brave little impatiens and geraniums and begonias are gone.

That's sad but, to boost my spirits, I went out and bought a bag of tulip bulbs. The picture showed the biggest, reddest tulips you can imagine. Even if they're slightly smaller and slightly less red, they will give me joy in April/May. And thinking of them will help me get through winter.

Here are some other ideas to help gardeners survive the coming months without going into depression:

After you've planted your tulips, daffodils and hyacinths for spring, plant some for someone else. Be sneaky. Do it while they're away and don't tell them. Imagine their surprise and joy next spring.

While you're cleaning up the yard this fall, keep an eye out for things that can be recycled into decorations for the holidays and just plain winter days.

If you had a bounty crop of anything, consider sharing some as Christmas gifts. I have a friend who let me pick raspberries at her bountiful patch and then, when they went on sale at the grocery, I bought more. I plan to make raspberry jam for friends. There's nothing like cooking jam on a Saturday afternoon to fill a house with warm aromas, unless it's cooking a pot roast on Sunday afternoon.

Instead of spending money, plan now to spend time with special people in your life next year. Start thinking about gift "coupons" which promise a day of shared garden work, or a spring nursery shopping trip with lunch.

Resume, or start, feeding birds. This is the time of year they need us.

Is there a piece of outdoor furniture or garden art you've longed for? Now is the time to investigate purchasing it or, even better, making it yourself.

Join a garden club. You can do a Google search and come up with some of the local ones. Or ask gardeners. Join now and you'll have a whole set of new friends with whom to share knowledge and/or plants next spring.

Page 2 of 2 - Enjoy the moments, no matter how snowy or windy or cold they may be.

My mother lived to 89. A grandson once asked her what was her favorite age. "Whichever I am today," she replied. Wise woman. Make each day one in which you enjoy Mother Nature and your other blessings.

Geri Nikolai writes about home, garden and nature. You may contact her at gmnikolai@gmail.com or by calling 815-871-6850 during weekday office hours.